Thursday 31 March 2011
TEFL/TESOL courses; teach, live and earn abroad: Is TEFL - teaching English as a foreign language ...
TEFL/TESOL courses; teach, live and earn abroad: Is TEFL - teaching English as a foreign language ...: "TEFL teachers are a varied bunch as the TEFL industry attracts expats, serious teachers and people who only wish to fund their travels alike..."
TEFL/TESOL courses; teach, live and earn abroad: How to TEFL; a peek into the TEFL classroom
TEFL/TESOL courses; teach, live and earn abroad: How to TEFL; a peek into the TEFL classroom: "If you've never taught before, the idea of stepping into a TEFL class can be daunting. Perhaps the fear of the unknown might even stop you f..."
TEFL/TESOL courses; teach, live and earn abroad: TEFL/TESOL to support your travels
TEFL/TESOL courses; teach, live and earn abroad: TEFL/TESOL to support your travels: "Teaching English as a foreign language; how a TEFL/TESOL course can help you travel abroad.If you are thinking about travelling or a ga..."
Wednesday 16 March 2011
How to TEFL; a peek into the TEFL classroom
If you've never taught before, the idea of stepping into a TEFL class can be daunting. Perhaps the fear of the unknown might even stop you from taking a leap into EFL teaching. In that case, read on to see what a sneaky peek of a real TEFL class can reveal...
A typical TEFL lesson
I better start by saying no two TEFL classrooms are the same but let's imagine the following is a typical EFL lesson. Now let's observe and see what's going on inside. Watch part of this TEFL class and notice:
1) How are students seated?
2) Who is doing most of the talking?
3) What does this tell you about TEFL methods?
Hopefully you'll have noticed the following....
1) The students aren't seated in rows. Why?In TEFL, we try to seat our students in a horseshoe shape rather than in formal line or rows. The reason why we do this will tell you much about TEFL methodology. In the typical TEFL classroom the buzzwords are 'communicative language teaching'. This means encouraging the students to communicate and therefore practice and become more proficient at the language. This means the class is laid out in a way that encourages peer-to-peer communication and student to teacher communication. Chairs can be easly moved for pair/group work.
No-one is lurking at the back away from it all. Everyone can turn to talk to their neighbour or the teacher easily.
2) The students are talking much more - the teacher is saying less than I thought
This follows on from the above point; the idea is to get students communicating and practising the language.
The teacher's role is often to introduce the theme or language point then have a variety of tasks the students can do in pairs/groups/individually to practice what has been taught. They will try to 'elicit' responses from students where possible instead of just telling all the time.
We tend to think of teachers leading from the front all the time. In fact, the best TEFL teachers can stand back once the students know what they have to practice/create/do.
A common error new teachers make is to talk too much. Remember, if you're talking, the students aren't!
3) Conclusion
Getting students active in the lesson and engaging in learning English are absolute TEFL musts. This explains the horsehose layout, the amount of time teachers talk and the way students are often organised into groups/pairs to maximise student communication time.
'Communicative language teaching' is in play whatever we teach, whether practising reading, writing, speaking, listening or grammar. It informs everything we do in the modern TEFL class.
When I started training to teach EFL, I couldn't get over the way this communicative method differed from the way I was taught French at school. It was more fun and interactive; engaged students seemed to learn better.
I hope you've enjoyed this insight into TEFL begun to understand a little of what it is all about. Of course there is more to teaching English effectively than where we seat Angelina and Frederico! But this communicative mindset forms the basis of our approach to teaching.
A good TESOL/TEFL training course will equip you completely for your own classroom - but if you want more of an insight or have any TEFL related questions, email me and I'll be happy to help.
A typical TEFL lesson
I better start by saying no two TEFL classrooms are the same but let's imagine the following is a typical EFL lesson. Now let's observe and see what's going on inside. Watch part of this TEFL class and notice:
1) How are students seated?
2) Who is doing most of the talking?
3) What does this tell you about TEFL methods?
Hopefully you'll have noticed the following....
1) The students aren't seated in rows. Why?In TEFL, we try to seat our students in a horseshoe shape rather than in formal line or rows. The reason why we do this will tell you much about TEFL methodology. In the typical TEFL classroom the buzzwords are 'communicative language teaching'. This means encouraging the students to communicate and therefore practice and become more proficient at the language. This means the class is laid out in a way that encourages peer-to-peer communication and student to teacher communication. Chairs can be easly moved for pair/group work.
No-one is lurking at the back away from it all. Everyone can turn to talk to their neighbour or the teacher easily.
2) The students are talking much more - the teacher is saying less than I thought
This follows on from the above point; the idea is to get students communicating and practising the language.
The teacher's role is often to introduce the theme or language point then have a variety of tasks the students can do in pairs/groups/individually to practice what has been taught. They will try to 'elicit' responses from students where possible instead of just telling all the time.
We tend to think of teachers leading from the front all the time. In fact, the best TEFL teachers can stand back once the students know what they have to practice/create/do.
A common error new teachers make is to talk too much. Remember, if you're talking, the students aren't!
3) Conclusion
Getting students active in the lesson and engaging in learning English are absolute TEFL musts. This explains the horsehose layout, the amount of time teachers talk and the way students are often organised into groups/pairs to maximise student communication time.
'Communicative language teaching' is in play whatever we teach, whether practising reading, writing, speaking, listening or grammar. It informs everything we do in the modern TEFL class.
When I started training to teach EFL, I couldn't get over the way this communicative method differed from the way I was taught French at school. It was more fun and interactive; engaged students seemed to learn better.
I hope you've enjoyed this insight into TEFL begun to understand a little of what it is all about. Of course there is more to teaching English effectively than where we seat Angelina and Frederico! But this communicative mindset forms the basis of our approach to teaching.
A good TESOL/TEFL training course will equip you completely for your own classroom - but if you want more of an insight or have any TEFL related questions, email me and I'll be happy to help.
Wednesday 9 March 2011
Is TEFL - teaching English as a foreign language for me? 3 questions to ask yourself
TEFL teachers are a varied bunch as the TEFL industry attracts expats, serious teachers and people who only wish to fund their travels alike. The advantages of TEFL are obvious; a portable career which you can fit around your new lifestyle abroad. But is teaching English for you? Before you invest in a TEFL course, leave your job and start a new life abroad, it pays to do your homework and ask yourself some serious questions.
Let's start with the obvious...
1) Where do you want to go?
while there is a huge demand to learn English wordwide, for some countries you will need a degree in order to work legally. South Korea and Thailand and Greece are just a few. While many teach 'under the table' ask yourself if you really want to live like this. Americans wishing to teach in France will face a tougher time since it is far easier to employ EU citizens within the EU. This is not to put you off - and in a largely unregulated industry there are few absolutes. While I once warned an American lady venturing out to Italy that she was unlikely to find much teaching work due to her nationality, she proved me wrong and and was inundated with offers! It pays to check out the legal working regulations in your chosen country via the consulate.
2) How much do you need to earn?
The very general rule of thumb is that you can usually live well by local standards on a TEFL wage. Do not necessarily expect to save or bring up a family on a generic TEFL income however. Better pay and conditions can be found teaching English in Japan, South Korea and the usually tax free Middle East. The good news is, there are many more TEFL offshoots for the ambitious. It is possible to move into more lucrative 1-1 business training, publishing, opening your own school, etc. However, if you just need to support yourself or just want to teach part time or need an extra income to supplement a main wage or retirement income, then EFL teaching is an ideal option. What else could you be so easly trained to do abroad and get paid?
See typical TEFL wages on some top TEFL job sites such as tefl.com
3) Are you a natural teacher?
If you've never taught, perhaps you don't know yet. Certainly a good command of English and patience are essential. Most other skills can be taught and that is where a good TEFL course comes in to its own. However, most TEFL teachers did not have a teaching background when they did their TEFL training. Expect to find former taxi drivers, lawyers, housewives and students in the industry.
There are lots of free ways to investigate what teaching is like:
Why not take a simple TEFL survey?
View teaching in action Offer to help for free as an assistant in a local langauge school
and some paid:
Take an inexpensive online grammar course to improve your English skills and give you confidence
(although most people only learn grammar on their TEFL course)
or a practical weekend TEFL course where you will get immersed in the TEFL classroom
Perhaps you know already that teaching large classes of children will never be for you. In that case, there are plenty of other options. People learn English for business, for university entry, by phone, 1-1, for English conversation. Simply take a TEFL with business or 1-1 to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to teach in these more niche areas.
TEFL teaching can be richly rewarding, but take some time to investigate to make sure it is the best next step for you. Good luck
Let's start with the obvious...
1) Where do you want to go?
while there is a huge demand to learn English wordwide, for some countries you will need a degree in order to work legally. South Korea and Thailand and Greece are just a few. While many teach 'under the table' ask yourself if you really want to live like this. Americans wishing to teach in France will face a tougher time since it is far easier to employ EU citizens within the EU. This is not to put you off - and in a largely unregulated industry there are few absolutes. While I once warned an American lady venturing out to Italy that she was unlikely to find much teaching work due to her nationality, she proved me wrong and and was inundated with offers! It pays to check out the legal working regulations in your chosen country via the consulate.
2) How much do you need to earn?
The very general rule of thumb is that you can usually live well by local standards on a TEFL wage. Do not necessarily expect to save or bring up a family on a generic TEFL income however. Better pay and conditions can be found teaching English in Japan, South Korea and the usually tax free Middle East. The good news is, there are many more TEFL offshoots for the ambitious. It is possible to move into more lucrative 1-1 business training, publishing, opening your own school, etc. However, if you just need to support yourself or just want to teach part time or need an extra income to supplement a main wage or retirement income, then EFL teaching is an ideal option. What else could you be so easly trained to do abroad and get paid?
See typical TEFL wages on some top TEFL job sites such as tefl.com
3) Are you a natural teacher?
If you've never taught, perhaps you don't know yet. Certainly a good command of English and patience are essential. Most other skills can be taught and that is where a good TEFL course comes in to its own. However, most TEFL teachers did not have a teaching background when they did their TEFL training. Expect to find former taxi drivers, lawyers, housewives and students in the industry.
There are lots of free ways to investigate what teaching is like:
Why not take a simple TEFL survey?
View teaching in action Offer to help for free as an assistant in a local langauge school
and some paid:
Take an inexpensive online grammar course to improve your English skills and give you confidence
(although most people only learn grammar on their TEFL course)
or a practical weekend TEFL course where you will get immersed in the TEFL classroom
Perhaps you know already that teaching large classes of children will never be for you. In that case, there are plenty of other options. People learn English for business, for university entry, by phone, 1-1, for English conversation. Simply take a TEFL with business or 1-1 to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to teach in these more niche areas.
TEFL teaching can be richly rewarding, but take some time to investigate to make sure it is the best next step for you. Good luck
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